The World's Common Tater

It’s been a couple of weeks since I did this. It’s possible I won’t remember much of what I watched over that time. I only read one book.

Movies

We watched two new movies that I remember.

The Lost City – Sandra Bullock plays a romance novelist who is kidnapped by a billionaire(Daniel Radcliffe) who wants her to help him find the lost ancient city described in one of her books. Channing Tatum plays the cover model for her books who gets caught up in the action when the Navy Seal/CIA operative(Brad Pitt) he hires to rescue her is shot.

I was very sleepy when I watched this. I liked the parts I can remember. I love all of the actors. It reminded me of Romancing the Stone. I will watch it again sometime when I am home alone and awake.

Cheaper by the Dozen – We were looking for a family movie to watch while my MIL was in town and landed on this remake on Disney Plus. Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union are the parents in this one. They own a restaurant that serves breakfast. The conflict comes from Braff’s character getting caught up in the possibility of the restaurant going national and Union’s ex-husband deciding Braff does not have what it takes to raise black kids.

It was decent for what it was, but nowhere near as good as the Steve Martin version.

TV

We have generally been watching the shows on the DVR and have caught a few season finales.

I watched the Survivor finale this week. Spoilers ahead:

I thought Maryanne was extremely annoying for most of the show and if I had been on the island I would have wanted to vote her out. I did think she was the most deserving of the final three. She was smart not to take Lindsey to the finals. I think Lindsey would have won easily. It was a very good cast and I can see several of them being invited back the next time they do a returning players season.

I am disappointed that A Million Little Things decided to throw one more possible tragedy into the mix going into the possible final season. If the show ends at Gary’s funeral I will be very upset.

I have been watching Sweet Magnolias on Netflix. I’m a sucker for the small-town shows.

Books

I only read one book over the past two weeks.

The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah – The book starts in the 1990s when we meet an elderly woman who is dying of cancer. We then flashback to France in 1939. Vienne’s husband is about to head to the Front to fight the Nazis. Her sister Isabelle has been kicked out of another school and goes to live with her father in Paris. When the Nazis invade, Isabelle sets out on foot for Vienne’s house. From there the sisters take different paths. Isabelle wants to fight and joins the resistance, Vienne stays at her house where a Nazi officer is billeted and tries to get along for the sake of her kids.

I was disappointed to have a third historical fiction in a row for book club and took forever to read far enough into the book to discover how good it is. Hannah does a great job of depicting life in occupied France and the choices you have to make. I figured out who was telling the story early on, but it did not change my enjoyment of the book. Great writing, great characters, a great book.

On Deck

I am leaving for Kentucky to visit family Wednesday so I feel like I will do a lot more reading than viewing.

I will watch the Grey’s finale at some point this weekend. I will probably watch some Would I Lie To You? and/or Survivor with my daughter while she is home.

I am about to start reading City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman. I’m hoping to finish before I leave so I can take a fresh book and a backup or two on the trip.